1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tools and, more specifically, to a shovel designed for moving snow tangentially while the shovel moves longitudinally thereby eliminating the need for lifting the shovel during snow removal. The snow shovel of the present invention comprises a latitudinal curved blade with opposing end terminus arcs of differing degrees whereby shoveled material will move from one side of the blade to the other. On the back side of the blade are longitudinal and latitudinal ribs forming an integral part therewith providing reinforcement terminating in a centrally disposed receptacle for a handle mounting plate.
The handle mounting plate has mating apertures for fixedly fastening the mounting plate to the curved blade. Positioned at the apex of the handle plate is a post for press fitting the handle plate to the shaft.
The handle grip member also has a post that is inserted into the opposing end of the handle shaft.
The present invention provides means for manufacturing a snow shovel in a lightweight polymeric material that will not deform under load, a property normally associated with metal blades, while the snow moves from one side of the blade to the other due to the decreasing blade face arc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other shovel device designed for snow removal. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 841,848 issued to Conner et al. on Jan. 22, 1907.
Another patent was issued to Pollack on Jul. 28, 1959 as U.S. Pat. No. 2,896,993. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 583,747 was issued to Lambert on Jun. 8, 1971 and still yet another was issued on Apr. 22, 1980 to Winfred A. Mason as U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,181.
Another patent was issued to Zan on Nov. 2, 1999 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,602. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,548 was issued to Bowles, Jr. on Apr. 25, 2000. Another was issued to Lock on Aug. 20, 2002 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,580 and still yet another was published on Oct. 18, 2001 to Hendrick as U.S. Patent Publication No. 2001/0029685.
Another patent was issued to Walker on Mar. 19, 1975 as U.K. Patent No. GB1 387 561 and still yet another was issued on Oct. 2, 1991 to Short as U.K. Patent No. GB2 242 466.
A walk-cleaner comprising a body of thin sheet material, in form the segment of a cylinder, whose length from end to end is considerably greater than its width, one of whose side margins is adapted to bear on its extreme edge and throughout its length, on the convex face, along the ground, one of the ends being closed by a thin sheet cross-partition secured at its margins to the end margin, and the other end being provided with an outwardly-flaring margin, and a handle secured at its lower end tangentially against the convex side of the body by a shield.
In a manually operated push type shovel having a blade and handle extending therefrom, a means to selectively turn said blade to the right and left relative to the direction of travel while said blade is being pushed, said means comprising a tubular collar pivotally secured at one end to the rear of said blade so as to limit said collar to only a lateral pivotal movement relative to said blade, a pair of rigid braces each pivotally connected at one respective end to opposite end portions of said blade on the rear side thereof, said braces converging rearwardly of said blade with their other respective ends being pivotally connected at a point spaced below said collar, a rigid strap connected at one end to said handle and pivotally connected at the other end to the converged ends of said braces, one end portion of said handle slidably rotatably disposed within said collar, and said handle rotatable about its longitudinal axis in two opposite directions respectively whereby said converged ends of said braces will move in the opposite direction said handle is rotated and said blade is turned in the direction of the rotation.
Snow removing apparatus comprising:                a. a blade having a snow-engaging surface along one edge thereof;        b. a handle; and        c. mounting means pivotally mounting one end of said handle to said blade so that in use said blade will be in an open position at a generally right angle to said handle when said blade is moved in one direction and said blade will be in a closed position generally parallel to said handle when said blade is moved in an opposite direction said mounting means including a longitudinally extended channel having a U-shaped section with generally parallel sidewall portions and a connecting wall portion with means connecting one end of said channel to said blade whereby said channel extends longitudinally outwardly generally perpendicular to said blade, and wherein one end of said handle is pivotally mounted in said channel adjacent said blade, said handle being pivotal about an axis generally perpendicular to the parallel sidewalls of said channel.        
A device for removing snow from sidewalks, driveways, and the like. The device is used principally as a plow for pushing the snow off to one side of a snow-covered path. Force which is applied through the handle of the device is distributed over the blade equally so that the blade will not veer from the path to be plowed. The blade is formed from a trapezoidal blank and is diagonally curved to give a sidewise thrust to the snow as it is pushed along the path to be cleaned.
A snow shovel construction 10 including a curved and tapered blade member 20 having an enlarged end 21 and a smaller end 22. The blade member 20 is disposed at an angle of approximately 60. degree. relative to a handle member 30 that is provided with a pair of offset hand grip elements 33, 34 and further provided with a reinforcement unit 13 disposed both on the blade member 20 and between the blade member 20 and the handle member 30.
A manually-operable shovel for efficiently moving material, including a shovel blade, a shovel handle, a joint for attaching the shovel blade to the shovel handle, and an articulation device cooperating with the joint for permitting the operator to position the blade to a predetermined fixed angle in relation to the direction of blade movement for moving the material in a predetermined desired relation to the direction of blade movement. The articulation device is moveable between an unlocked position wherein the angle of the blade in relation to the direction of blade movement is variable and a locked position wherein the angle of the blade is locked into a fixed angle in relation to the direction of blade movement. The articulation device automatically assumes the locked position during a forward, material engaging movement of the shovel and automatically assumes the unlocked position during a rearward material disengaging, movement of the shovel.
The invention relates to a shovel particularly useful for snow removal. The shovel is characterized by dual ground contacting edges allowing the shovel to be self-supporting and which allows the shovel to be used in an ergonomically efficient manner for removing snow from a surface.
A snow shoveling apparatus includes a handle mounted to an intermediate portion of a base of a mobile frame such that the handle can undergo pivotal movement between selected vertical angles relative to the base, a tool mounted to a front end of the base such that the tool can undergo pivotal movement between selected horizontal angles relative to the base, a handle angle adjustment mechanism adapted to undergo relative reciprocal movement between latched and unlatched positions so as to allow changing of the vertical angle of the handle relative to the base when the mechanism is in the unlatched position and to hold the handle at a selected one of the vertical angles relative to the base when the mechanism is in the latched position, and a tool angle adjustment mechanism adapted to undergo relative pivotal movement between latched and unlatched positions as to allow changing of the horizontal angle of the tool relative to the base when the mechanism is in the unlatched position and to hold the tool at a selected one of the horizontal angles relative to the base when the mechanism is in the latched position.
An implement for clearing snow and other debris comprises an elongate blade which is wider at one end than at the other, the wider end being nearer the handle 18. The blade 10 is arcuate about its longitudinal axis the handle 18 being attached to the convex face of the blade 10. The blade 10 may be provided with at least one strengthening rib 16 and is preferably of steel.
A snow plough with an angled blade 10 so that snow is pushed to one side suitable for hand operation by pushing it along on the end of a broomstick 11.
While these shovel devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.